MARINA launches Service Contracting Program for maritime sector

The Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) of the Department of Transportation (DOTr) has launched its nationwide Service Contracting Program for the maritime sector Monday at the Batangas Pier.

The Layag Alalay ng Gobyerno Program is expected to run for 14 days or two weeks.

“Sakop din po ng Service Contracting Program for maritime… ang mga ruta na may high-demand na pasahero… Nasa 11 na ruta po ito with 33 operators at 93 ferries na lalahok dito sa commuter routes na tinatawag dito sa maritime sector,” DOTr Undersecretary for Road Transport and Infrastructure Atty. Mark Steven Pastor said.

(The Service Contracting Program for maritime also covers routes with high passenger demand. There are around 11 routes with 33 operators and 93 ferries participating in these so-called commuter routes in the maritime sector.)

Echoing MARINA Administrator Sonia Malaluan, Pastor said the program will benefit around 1.1 million passengers daily, with fare discounts as high as P192.

Eligible trips under the program have the following qualifications:

• a purely passenger vessel;
• has less than two hours of travel time;
• has high passenger traffic; and
• has no alternative route

“Sa ruta, for example, sa Cebu, from Cebu City to Lapu-Lapu, mataas ang [passenger] traffic niyan pero you can take the car, the bus or the taxi—daan kayo ng bridge. So hindi natin sila isinama kasi merong alternative route,” Malaluan explained.

(On the route, for example, in Cebu, from Cebu City to Lapu-Lapu, the [passenger] traffic is heavy, but you can take the car, the bus, or the taxi—you go via the bridge. So we didn't include them because there is an alternative route.)

A P200 million budget was allocated for the maritime subsidy program. According to MARINA, an extension of the program would depend on the volume of passengers who would avail the discounted fares.

“Pero kung ang byahe ay hindi naman lahat punuan pwede pang ma-extend nang 1, 2, 3 days—hindi pa natin masabi ngayon. So malalaman natin yan after the first week… Kasi uubusin namin yung 200 million [pesos]... that’s why we are monitoring the computation every day, ” Malaluan said.

(But if the trips aren't completely full, it could still be extended by 1, 2, 3 days—we can't really say for sure right now. So we will know that after the first week… As we are going to use up the 200 million [pesos]... that’s why we are monitoring the computation every day.)

Assigned personnel will also monitor trips to ensure that commuters on eligible trips avail the discounted fares.

Payout system

The MARINA assured the timely release of subsidy payouts to maritime operators.

This, after reports of delays in payouts to land transportation drivers who joined the recently concluded service contracting program, which the DOTr had already clarified.

“With our consultation sa mga operator… we decided that we will pay, kung makumpleto agad ang dokumento, we’ll compute and issue the cheque kung pwede nang daily,” Malaluan said.

(With our consultation with the operators… we decided that we will pay, if the documents are completed immediately, we’ll compute and issue the check daily if possible.)

Meanwhile, operators in Surigao City who mostly operate on ‘one watercraft, per one operator,’ will be paid in cash daily to immediately replenish and sustain their oil expenses.

A passenger manifest and Master's Declaration of Safe Departure will be collected every trip. In addition to a one-time certification from the company that certifies their number of “collections,” according to MARINA.

An operator’s subsidy depends on the number of enrolled vessels. Per watercraft, the payment is computed by multiplying the maximum capacity by the number of trips, the maritime agency explained. —Lyjah Tiffany Bonzo/RF, GMA News